


Taking the Lead

by ThatFanwriter



Series: Gifts [2]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Established Relationship, First Valentines together, Grace thinks she has the best suggestions, M/M, Nahele has been working at this tourist place and is friends with the owner, Steve is kinda freaking out, getting advice from everyone, mcdanno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 10:55:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22849021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatFanwriter/pseuds/ThatFanwriter
Summary: Short fluff. Steve and Danny have been dating for a few months now, but this is going to be their first Valentine's together.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett & Danny "Danno" Williams, Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Series: Gifts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1434013
Comments: 13
Kudos: 67





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alanna342](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alanna342/gifts).



> 205 days ago (according to the AO3 comments) in the comments of my Camp5O fic, I told Alanna342 that I would write them a fic. Today, I finally make good on my promise. 
> 
> Sorry it took me so long Alanna342! Hope you like it!
> 
> And, if you're not Alanna342, then I hope you like it too!

"It's our FIRST valentines day together." Steve shouted out over the roaring of the waves.

He, Kono, and Chin were out surfing.

"Which is why you should go with my idea!" Kono shouted out.

"You're idea is awful!" Chin screamed back. "I'm the romantic one here, Steve, go with my idea."

"My idea is funny!" Kono shouted back.

Steve groaned and cursed out his friends. A wave is coming in and he forgets about everything and just focuses on the water as he starts paddling towards it.

"Has he said anything?" Steve asked Grace on their drive back to his place from her school.

She pantomimed zipping her lips tight and throwing away the keys.

Steve rolled his eyes. "There's not supposed to be any secrets between us. Remember?"

Grace giggled, "I'm not giving away any surprises."

Steve side-eyed her. "So, there's surprises then?"

She stared at him in contempt, at his audacity.

"How am I supposed to plan something if he's planning something too?" Steve whined out in defense. "What if our plans coincide? What if he goes left, while I'm planning for us to go right? Gracie, you promised you'd help me. Those were your words!"

"I already gave you the perfect idea!" She said back, crossing her arms at him the way Danno did when he thought he'd settled an argument.

"Thanks again for picking Grace up from school." Rachel said as she walked into Steve's house at a quarter to 5pm.

"Yeah, of course. She's in her room finishing up some homework. Want some coffee? Tea?"

"I'll take some tea, thank you."

She followed Steve into the kitchen and sat on a chair in the dining room. Steve joined her moments later with two mugs.

"Hey, so... you were married to Danny," Steve said as he passes her a mug.

"Yes." She said and it's almost hesitant, but she's smirking at him.

"What..." Steve struggled for the words, "What were Valentines like? With him?"

"Umm..." She tilted her head side to side, "He flopped a lot, between being a total romantic and not." She took a sip, then added, "Though I think the _and not_ part was due mostly to our failing marriage, to be honest."

Steve nodded. "So, then he does like to celebrate it?"

Rachel nodded. "Do you?"

The question caught him off guard and he had to think about it for a moment. "I mean, I've never really celebrated it before." A fact he almost felt ashamed to admit. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to." His leg was bouncing up and down underneath the table.

Rachel smiled at him, and it was a soft smile and Steve didn't feel any judgment in it.

"Want me to find out what he's planning?" She said it with narrowed eyes and a playful smirk that had Steve returning it.

He felt a weight lift off his shoulders as he said, "Yes please."


	2. Chapter 2

"Alright Monkey." Danny told Grace as he drove her to school. "This is gonna be Steve's _first ever_ Valentine's day. Not just for him and me, but his first real one ever! So it has to be extra _extra_ special and romantic. What do you got?" 

Grace nodded resolutely, thinking for a moment. "Handmade cards are the best cards." She said.

"I agree." Danny nodded.

"Maybe, go swimming with the magic again?" She said, thinking about when Nahele took them out to swim with bioluminescent plankton a few weeks ago. 

"Oooh."

Grace thought some more, she let out an excited _OH_! then bit her lip and looked at her dad.

"What?" Danny asked cautiously. 

"You should get him a puppy." She said, trying to contain her excitement.

"Steve likes cats."

"Okay, then... you should get him a _kitten_."

"But... _I_ don't like cats."

Grace rolled her eyes. "Love requires sacrifice Danno!" 

Danny eyed her. "You sure you're not just saying that cause you want a cat?"

"I'd prefer a puppy Danno. But LOVE REQUIRES SACRIFICE." 

Danny came to a red light and turned to look at her, her hands were stretched out as if to make known the intensity of her point. It was scary how much she reminded him of himself sometimes. 

"Good, get a taste of your own medicine." Steve had teased him when Danny had shared his thoughts on this. 

"You've given me a lot to think about." Danny said as they pulled up to her school.

"Good." She said, nodding like they were concluding a business meeting.

"Hey, don't tell Steve."

"I won't."

"I'm serious. It's his first Valentines. I..."

"I won't." She repeated, then leaned over to kiss him on the cheek before heading out to school.

"Hey Rachel." Danny said as he answered the phone. He had finally given Rachel a less cruel ringtone, but one that was still distinctively hers so that he could know when she called without having to look at the caller ID. 

"Hello, Danny. How are you?"

"Good. You?"

"Good. Unfortunately, my meeting's running long. Do you think you could pick up Grace from school?"

"Um..." Danny moved his phone to the other ear and stretched out his hand to look at his watch. "I'm swamped with work, don't think I'll make it in time... Steve could probably pick her up though. Want me to call him?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Sure, I'll call him right now."

About two hours later, Danny got another call from Rachel. 

"Hey. I'm about to finish up work. If you want I can drive Grace back to yours in about an hour."

"Oh, I've actually just picked her up."

"Oh." 

"I'm sorry, I should have asked. You probably wanted to see her when you got home from work."

"I always wanna see Grace, but it's okay."

A silence passed and Danny cleared up his desk and closed up his case files as he waited for Rachel to say something else. 

"What are your plans for Valentine's day?" She finally asked.

Danny gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes out of habit. He kept his voice even as he said, "I thought we said you were gonna take Grace for the weekend? And I'd have her for the week and weekend after?" 

He could 100% make Valentine's day work with Grace in the house, it would probably make the day even more special in some ways, but he had really been hoping to have the house and Steve just for himself that weekend. He hated how it made him feel like an awful parent for admitting that. 

"No, yeah, yes, that's-that's the plan, yes." Another silence over the phone, then, "I meant... you and Steve."

"Oh." Danny sat up straighter in his chair. "Why? Did he say something?"

Another moment passed and Danny waited as patiently as he could. 

"He's... he's nervous Danny. Maybe that's not the right word. He's... it's his first Valentine's day."

"I know that." He said, and he didn't mean for it to come out as defensive as it.

"Well... I think he wants it to be perfect and he feels a little out of his depth."

Danny wasn't sure how to respond so he said nothing.

"I'm offering to be a double agent." She said.

"What?"

"I can give him hints about what your planning, and you hints about what he's planning."

"Why is he even planning anything?" Danny said, knowing the answer before he'd even finished asking the question. 

"Daniel, think about it," She said.

"I know." Danny replied.

"He's never had one before. He's probably always thought about it though, about what it would be like to plan something for a loved one." 

"I know." Danny repeated.

"He's probably never had a chance to do that before."

"I know." Danny repeated, more sternly this time, then he sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. "And Steve being the control freak he is... he's probably going crazy with this."

"He's out of his depth." Rachel said again.


	3. Chapter 3

"Stop." Danny said as he walked into the kitchen.

Steve turned down the flame then held up his hands, smirking as he looked back at Danny. "You gonna read me my rights officer?"

"It's  _ detective _ ." Danny couldn't help but correcting.

He walked over to Steve and placed his hands on his arms, gently bringing them down. He kissed Steve's neck and rested his forehead on Steve's back. 

Steve hummed into him and let Danny catch his weight. 

"Stop planning." Danny whispered. 

Steve stopped humming and stoop up straighter. He turned to look at Danny. "Planning what?"

"You know what."

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"Oh really?"

"Not in the foggiest.  _ Detective _ ."

"Oh? Is that so?" Danny leaned against the counter. "So you've got  _ nothing  _ planned for Valentine's day?"

Steve opened his mouth, then closed it again, then thought some more and opened it again. "I... that's-that's-  _ that's  _ a trick question. T _ hat's  _ leading the witness." He crossed his arms in checkmate.

Danny crossed his arms right back. 

"It's my first Valentine's day Danny." Steve broke first.

"I know that! You think I don't know that? That's why I'm runnin around tryin to make sure it's the best one you'll ever have."

"Well," Steve's shoulders slumped. "That's why  _ I'm _ running around trying to make sure it's the best one  _ you'll _ ever have."

Danny stepped forward cupped Steve's chin and pulled him in for a kiss. 

"Let me take the lead on this one." Danny said, Steve's forehead resting on top of his. "You always take the lead. Let me take this one."

"Well..." Steve said pulling his head away a little, smirking, "I don't  _ always  _ take the lead... You take the lead  _ quite a lot _ when we have-"

Danny's lips were on his before he could finish and he smiled into the kiss.

Danny pulled away and sighed. "I just wanna woo you." 

"You-you always  _ woo  _ me." Steve smirked, "Especially when you use words like woo."

They kissed again, then Steve asked, "Can I take the lead?"

"Alright, we've got the weekend right? You can take the lead Valentine's day and I'll get Saturday. How's that sound?"

"Like a good compromise."

They kissed once more and Steve turned back around to keep cooking.

Danny hoped up on the counter and watched Steve cook. After a moment, he couldn't keep himself from asking, "So, you do have a plan then? For Valentine's day."

"Oh, Danno, babe, I've got like four."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses as to what Steve's plans might be? Hint, they incorporate the ideas he's gotten! Any thoughts on what Kono, Chin, and Gracie suggested he do?


	4. Chapter 4

Valentine's day was on a Friday. 

Danny had to go to work but Steve got to stay home and prepare.

His plan for Valentine's day ended up incorporating all the suggestions he had gotten with his own.

When Danny got home from work, he opened the front door with caution. 

There was soft music playing low in the background. Rose petals laid on the floor, creating a red carpet leading from the front door to the dining room. There were so many lit candles everywhere Danny was sure it was a fire hazard. 

Steve stood in the dining room, standing tall.

He wore a dark blue silk button-down and gray chinos. 

He had debated back and forth between wearing his Navy blues outfit, or opting for his regular khakis and tee outfit. 

He ended up settling on an outfit that fell somewhere in the middle. He had even considered, for the briefest of seconds, wearing a tie. But he had just as quickly tossed the idea away.

Danny, who had left his desk a few minutes early to get ready in the precinct bathroom, was wearing a beige button-down, rolled up at the sleeves, a velvet red tie and black fitted slacks.

When they saw each other, they took a moment to appreciate the sight of each other.

"Hi." Steve finally said, breaking the silence. 

"Hey." 

"I uh, I made spaghetti."

"Smells great." Danny was grinning from ear to ear, glancing from the set table to Steve.

Steve nearly tripped over his feet as he made his way around the table to pull a chair out for Danny.

"Wow. Manners." Danny said as he sat down.

"I can pull em out from time to time." Steve said as he went to bring in the tray of food.

"This is amazing babe." Danny said as Steve set the food on the table. "C'mere." He pulled Steve in for a kiss. 

The food was amazing. The spaghetti was almost as good as the ones from home. Better than anything Danny had had in a while. 

But the best part was being able to sit with Steve and have a romantic dinner as they talked about everything and nothing. 

They tried to Lady and the Tramp a noodle. But the sauce just splattered everywhere and the noodle pulled out a meatball that rolled onto the floor. Danny was so busy laughing that he didn't even care about the stains on his tie.

"Alright, " Steve said as he picked up his coffee table and moved it to the hall. Danny admired the ease with which he did this. "Part two."

"Oh? There's a part two?" Danny leaned against the wall as he watched Steve move back his sofa with ease. 

He vaguely- okay, 100% full on- wondered if part two just meant they were going to do it on the floor of the living room. 

"Of course there's a part two." Steve said, turning to look at Danny. Seeing the way Danny was watching him added, "You just gonna stand there looking pretty and admiring the view? Or you gonna help?"

Danny shrugged, "The view is too good to not be admired."

Steve winked and did a little pec dance for Danny. 

Danny chuckled as he walked over and helped Steve move the sofa the rest of the way.

"So, uh, part two is...?" Danny said, looking around the cleared out living room.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Daniel. We're building a fort."

"A fort?" Danny repeated. 

"A fort." Steve grinned at him.

Danny nodded, looking around the living room once again. "I'm assuming you've got the materials ready."

"In the hallway closet." 

Danny couldn't help the grin that overcame him. He hadn't built a fort in a long time. Six years to be exact. When he and Grace had set out to build the best fort all of New Jersey had ever seen. "I'll go get the stuff."

"No!" Steve said, quickly placing a hand on Danny's shoulder. "I'll go get the stuff." He looked over to the TV. "You start loading the DVDs."

"What are we watching?"

"Why don't you go over and find out?"


	5. Chapter 5

Building a fort with Steve turned out to be both very similar and very different than building a fort with Grace.

Just like Grace, Steve felt it imperative that their fort be the best fort ever built in the history of forts ever built.

Unlike Grace, Steve was less prone to be persuaded by Danny that the job had been accomplished.

"It's tilted Danny." Steve said, hands on hips as he stood back and analyzed their fort.

"It's made out of bedsheets. I think it's supposed to be tilted."

"We need another support beam."

"You've already stuck in four poles. A fort is supposed to be cozy, yet roomy, we don't need so many columns taking up space inside."

"But, as I've already said, they'll make sure the thing stays standing. And they'll be a good place for us to wrap the lights around."

"Well, like I said, we should just weigh down the blankets with more books."

"That's unsightly."

Danny scoffed. "Since when do you care about unsightly, Mr. Cargo pants?"

"It's unsightly and its impractical. Logistically speaking-"

"I feel like this is our IKEA furniture moment."

"What?"

"Nevermind, go get another broomstick pole."

Danny felt like a teen with zero self-control as they watched the movie from inside their fort.

He had to hand it to Steve, it was a pretty great fort. 

As soon as they were inside and were done with the first movie of  _ The Astral Wars  _ Danny couldn't take it anymore.

They were laying on their stomachs, resting on pillows, as they watched the movies from the fort opening. 

All Danny could think about was Steve next to him. 

Steve, in the closest thing to a dress suit, next to him. 

Steve, who had worked so damn hard to make this a great night, next to him. 

Steve, who was so damn proud of the fort they had built, next to him.

Danny wanted to kiss him. 

He felt drunk on happiness with the knowledge that he  _ could  _ kiss him. 

So he did.

They kissed and kissed and soon the movie didn't matter anymore. 

Danny felt that it seemed as if they had gone years without kissing. They couldn't get enough of each other. 

Pulling on Danny's tie, in between kisses, in gasps for air, Steve kept whispering, "Happy Valentine's Day Danno," into Danny's ear. 

Danny could only reply with soft moans. 

Eventually, the space that had been between them vanished and Steve was nearly on top of Danny as they made out.

Then suddenly Steve pulled back, grunting a little as he and pulled off Danny. Danny looked at him with a confused  _ what's up?  _ face. 

Steve looked at him with wide dark eyes, "Wait," he said in a pant, Danny cocked his head. Steve continued, "There's more!"

"More movie? Yeah babe, I don't really care about the movie anymore." 

"No, more... hold on," Steve held up a finger and glanced down at Danny's waist, as if he was talking more to the growing erection than Danny himself. "Wait." He repeated, holding his gaze on it. 

Slowly, Steve crawled out of the fort, throwing Danny a reassuring nod before disappearing from view.

Danny couldn't see what was happening but he zoned out the movie and tried to listen intently on the ruckus Steve was making.

He heard the closet door open. 

He heard-what he was pretty sure was- a few things zip and unzip.

He heard something fall.

He heard Steve trip.

He heard something tear.

He heard Steve swear.

He heard some more shuffling and rustling.

He heard the closet door close again. 

He heard the soft pad of Steve's feet as he tried to quietly walk back to the fort barefoot. 

"Close your eyes," Steve ordered from outside their fort.

"Why?" 

There was a brief pause, then a long, " _ Danno _ ," Steve whined out, "I'm taking the lead today."

Danny rolled his eyes for posterity, then closed them. 

He could hear Steve struggle to get back into the fort. Hear the creaks and groans from the fort as Steve carefully bulldozed in, masterpiece fort forgotten. He could hear a lot of rustling as Steve settled in.

Danny could feel Steve lay back down next to him

"Okay, hold on..." Steve said, and Danny heard some more shuffling. "Okay... open them." Steve said it in a tone that already portrays regret.

Danny opened his eyes, one at a time, and he can't help the laughter that bubbled out of him. 

He tried to hold it back because he's pretty sure he was not supposed to be laughing but it was a visceral reaction.

Steve started laughing with him. "It was Kono's idea."

" _ Ahh _ ," Danny said.

And even though Steve is practically naked in front of him, Danny can't tear his eyes away from the present box placed with calculated precision on Steve's waist. 

Danny licked his lips, then bit them. "I open that, I'm gonna find your dick?" He said with defined eloquence. 

"Yes." 

Danny grins harder and the laughter comes back, but it comes out as little giggles this time. 

Steve grins ear to ear. 

"I was gonna get a bigger box," Steve said, "it also covered my ass. But it wouldn't have arrived in time. So then I was just gonna do this box here and gift wrap my butt, but the wrapping paper just kept ripping on me."

"Ah, too bad." Danny said, and his eyes were absolutely gleaming. 

He looked from the gift box up to Steve's eyes again, then down at the box, he gave it a little pat. "Present time?"

The fort had not been up to code. 

Or rather... it had been, but those codes had not fully taken into account Danny and Steve.

Halfway through the fourth movie of  _ The Astral Wars  _ series-though they hadn't really been watching for the past two movies or so- the fort collapsed on top of them, on top of Steve on top of Danny.

As the sheets fell on top of them, both couldn't help but gasping out, "Told you so," between moans. Then they continued on as if it hadn't collapsed, too caught up in each other to really think about anything else. 


	6. Chapter 6

Danny woke first.

He felt hot and confused with the blankets, and the one or two broomsticks, that were on top of him.

He turned and saw Steve still sleeping next to him. Danny smiled at the sight. Then, with a panic, he turned to examine the rest of the room. 

There had been at least a hundred candles- all carefully hand selected by Steve for the occasion- Danny didn't remember if they had turned them off or not. 

Thankfully as he looked around, nothing looked burned, all the candles were off.

Danny figured Steve must have gotten up in the middle of the night to turn them off. He looked back at Steve. He was tangled with the bedsheets, like he had struggled to get back inside their collapsed fort. 

Danny chuckled as he pulled himself out of the mess of blankets they had made. 

Before standing he threw a peak to make sure all the window curtains were drawn. 

He was naked, and despite Steve owning a nice chunk of property, he still didn't want to risk flashing any passerby or mail carrier. 

Knowing all the curtains and shades were drawn, Danny got up and walked to the kitchen to start his Valentine's day plans.

"Happy Valentine's Day. Part two." Danny said as he woke Steve up with a ruffle of hair and a kiss on his nose.

Steve was smiling and reaching up for a kiss on the mouth before his eyes were even open. 

As he sat up and pulled himself out of the mess of blankets he noticed the tray of food Danny was holding. "Mornin." He said as he took the tray.

"Technically." Danny said, holding up a finger, "It's the afternoon." 

"Oh. Afternoon then." Steve said as he looked at his plate. He grinned at the eggs, rice and Portuguese sausage. 

"You stole some of my day last night." Danny said as he sat on the fort with Steve.

"Well, I think that was a mutual decision..." Steve said, smirking at Danny. He took a mouthful of food and asked between bites, "When did we fall asleep anyway?" 

Danny looked down at his watch and pressed it a couple of times. "Bout four am. After a  _ vigorous  _ amount of  _ cardio _ ." He chuckled, and showed Steve the watch, "Look, I've already hit my calorie-burning target for the day." 

Steve chuckled. "You're welcome."

"Shut up. You stole some of my day."

"Fine. How about we don't end today until 4 am tomorrow?"

Danny considered it. "Acceptable." 

Danny's plan for the day consisted of several components, which included but were not limited to: 

Breakfast in bed - or living room floor-  _ check _ .

A hike followed by some surfing- Which Danny vowed to himself he would do with little to no complaining. 

And - the part Danny was most worried about because:  _ Sand - s _ ex on the beach. Steve's beach, right there in the backyard. 

Handmade cards - His and Grace's waited hidden in the kitchen.

Then a swim with bioluminescent plankton, aka  _ magic  _ \- Nahele had just called to confirm the booking. 

In his plan, he and Steve were supposed to have a lazy morning. 

But they were running late,  _ four  _ hours behind schedule to be exact. So instead Danny let Steve eat while he cleaned up around the house a little. 

Danny turned on the downstairs shower. "Warmin up the water for you babe."

"Come sit with me Danno." Steve replied.

Danny complied. 

"You showerin with me?" Steve asked, nodding to the bathroom. 

"Sorry babe. Already took one."

Steve let his head roll back, then he gave Danny his puppy eyes. "No rules against takin a second shower... and you didn't do your whole hair routine, I can tell. Means you're expecting a second shower today, so..."

Danny smiled and gave Steve a quick kiss. "We've got a long day babe. Go on and take one of those 5 minute showers you're always boasting about."

"Less than five minutes." Steve mumbled as Danny got up and walked to the kitchen.

After breakfast, Steve helped Danny finish cleaning up the house and throwing evidence of the night into the washer. 

When Steve came out of the shower Danny was already waiting for him in the living room.

"No way!" Steve said, laughing as he held onto his bare stomach. "Oh my god, I need a camera." 

"No." Danny said, crossing his arms.

"Cargo pants." 

"For you. I'm wearing these for you and you will say nothing to no one."

Steve let out a little squeal as he stared his Danno up and down. He was wearing rolled up cargo pants and Steve's old Navy shirt. 

"Go change." Danny said, looking Steve's bare body up and down. "We're going on a hike."

Steve let out another laugh, "This is the best day ever."

"Shut up and go change. Lookin at you's makin me wanna change my mind."

Steve did a pec dance.

Danny quirked his brow. "Go change."


	7. Chapter 7

Danny had picked a trail by Steve's house that Steve said he always loved hiking. 

It was about an hour and a half of hiking in total, which wasn't too bad compared to some of the other hikes Steve had taken Danny on. 

Surfing was nice after the hike. 

Surfing had been growing on Danny. He still wasn't anywhere near as good as Steve was, but he could hold his own. 

He actually looked forward to surfing at the end of the day, especially at the end of a particularly frustrating day. 

Surfing had a way of not letting you think about anything else that calmed Danny like nothing ever really had before. 

Sometimes, in the state of not thinking, breakthroughs would happen, for the job or his personal life. But even then, he never had a chance to overthink them because he had to concentrate on the next wave.

They surfed for longer than the plan allotted. But Danny didn't really care. They were already behind schedule anyway, so screw the schedule. 

_ Screw _ .

That was next on the agenda...

Danny sat on his board and looked out over the ocean, freeing himself to not overthink it. 

"We should head back in soon." He said, looking over at Steve. 

Steve nodded.

Steve kept asking, "Are you sure?" because Danny is a _keep it in the bedroom_ type of guy. 

Steve still couldn't believe last night. 

Being so carefree in their living room, even if it was under the protection of a fort. 

Now Danny was offering to do it out here, in his backyard, on the beach, in nearly broad daylight. 

"We don't have to Danno. We can take it upstairs." 

"For the last time Kalani," Danny said pointing at the blanket he had brought out under the pretense of a picnic, "Get on the blanket."

Steve just stared at him.

Danny sighed. "I am sure. And I love that you're checking. Thank you for that. I'm sure. And, it's not like you've got any close neighbors. We've dried off and the blanket should keep the sand at bay. And, we can put on more sunscreen if you want."

Steve grinned.

"Now strip." Danny ordered.

"Yes sir." Steve happily complied.


	8. Chapter 8

It was a rare occasion, Danny driving his own car. 

Despite all the complaints and eye rolls, Danny didn't actually mind that much that Steve liked to play chauffeur. 

But he still liked putting on an act whenever he got to drive his own car-"Wow, I almost forgot what this feels like! I've missed my car dearly," and so on and so forth- he knew Steve saw through the charade but Steve always played back with his own exaggerated eye rolls and grunts. 

"I know where we're going." Steve announced, looking from the window to Danny.

"I knew I should have blindfolded you."

Steve snorted, "Yeah that woulda gone well." 

They were three hours late to their appointment with Nahele. 

But when Danny had texted Nahele earlier to apologize for this, Nahele texted back for him not to worry about it and that he had actually left the boat out waiting for them. 

When they got there and Danny unlocked the place, per Nahele's instructions, Danny relayed the info.

Steve was more than happy to take the boat out himself. He said he considered it an added gift.

As Steve slowed the boat down amongst the blue lights, he brought up having sex again on the boat. 

"It would be romantic," Steve said at the face Danny made. "Here in the middle of fallen stars underneath the brightest stars you've ever seen."

"This is your Nahele's boat."

"Technically. It's the company boat."

"And that's better how?"

"Just think about it."

"It's my day."

"And isn't the purpose of your day to make this a great day for me?"

"It's already a great day for you, just by being with me."

Steve nodded, "You got me there..."

"You're a shmuck."

"You're the one dating me. What's that make you?"

" _ Touche _ ..."

"Alright, fine. I guess we can just swim with the plankton. That's magical enough."

" _ Just swim with the plankton?  _ I have sand in places sand should not be in! Put a little more gratefulness into your voice hun."

"You're right," Steve said, edging closer to Danny. He whispered into Danny's ear, "I'm sorry." 

They kissed. 

And Danny would be lying if he said he didn't feel like he was in a gooddamn fairy tale because their boat was gently rocking in the water creating a wave of glowing blue lights around them, and they were kissing underneath the starriest night Danny had ever witnessed. They were just fairy kings in love. And Danny felt that as they kissed, there were probably a few shooting stars streaking the sky above them. 

"I'm gonna buy a boat." Steve said as they separated.

"What?"

"So we can come out here next Valentines, and you know... Or, you know, we wouldn't have to wait till Valentines, we could come out here whenever." 

"You're mind is really in the gutter today Kalani."

"What do you expect Danno?"

Danny tskd and gave him a disapproving nod, but it's effect was null due to the smirk on Danny's face. 

"Okay, switching the track in you're brain. I think this will bring on more wholesome thoughts." Danny said before reaching into his backpack.

He pulled out two colorful cards. A pink one and a yellow one. 

Steve couldn't find any words as Danny gave them to him. 

"From me and Grace." 

Steve opened his mouth, but the only thing that eventually came out was a sharp exhale. He closed his mouth and swallowed hard as he looked at the cards. "I-" He looked back at Danny.

"Happy Valentine's day." Danny said with a soft smile.


	9. Chapter 9

Sunday morning the light wakes them up along with buzzes from each of their watches.

They take their time waking up. Periodically checking their phones, but mostly interested in each other.

"I have one more surprise," Steve says, in between giving Danny kisses.

"Mhm?" 

"It's on its way."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"Me too." Danny says, then flicks his wrist to check his watch. "Mine gets here in a few hours."

Steve's brows furrowed, "So does mine." 

Danny narrowed his eyes. "What did you get me?"

"It's a surprise. What did you get me?"

"It's a surprise." 

Kono and Rachel show up at the same time. 

"That's your surprise." Steve and Danny say at the same time. They give each other puzzeled looks and walk to the door in unison, almost in a race. 

"Huh." Danny says as Steve opens the door. 

Both Kono and Rachel are holding gift-wrapped boxes. They try not to give anything away but they grin at each other as Kono carefully hands her box to Steve and Rachel carefully hands her box to Danny. 

Without saying anything they grin at the men, then once more at each other and close the door behind them as they leave. 

"Daniel..." Steve says as he looks at the way Danny is holding the box, just as carefully as he is, on hand supporting the bottom, the other placed over the lid. "What did you get me?" 

Danny's eyes are on Steve's box, suspicious of it as Steve is of his. "What did you get me?" 

"You first." Steve replies, nodding towards the box.

"No, please, after you." Danny bows his head.

"Why do I feel like we're at a standoff?" Steve smirks. "Okay, how bout this? At the same time." 

"At the same time?" Danny repeats.

"Yeah, at the same time."

"What, like on the count of three?" 

"Sure, three's good." Steve shrugges. 

"Okay, one..." Danny says.

In sync, they start gently lowering their boxes to the ground.

"Two," Steve says, crouching down next to his box as Danny does the same with his.

They lock eyes as they say in unison. "Three." 

Both take the lid off their boxes.

Nothing happened for a second and from the way they were crouching, each by their box, they couldn't see what was in the other box. 

Then a little a golden little puppy emerged from Steve's box, resting its paws on the edge of the box as it looked around its surroundings.

From Danny's box came out a little  _ meow.  _

Their eyes went wide as they looked at the boxes, then each other. At once, they both stood up and switched places. 

Danny let out a disbelieving chuckle as he gently lifted the puppy out of the box. It was a Goldendoodle, a breed Danny had revealed several weeks ago that he had always wanted. 

Steve gently lifted the tiny kitten from Danny's box and brought it to his face, grinning wide at it. It was a Bengal, Steve's favorite breed. 

"You got me a dog."

"You got me a cat."

"It was Grace's idea." They both said it in unison. 

Danny frowned, "I thought Grace's idea had been the fort."

"No, that had been my idea."

"Then whose idea was the rose petals and candles?"

"Chin's." 

Danny nodded, and looked back at the puppy, laughter bubbled out of him. "Why do I feel like we've been played by my own daughter?" 


	10. Chapter 10

When they pick up Grace from school on Monday, she gets into the car looking around the backseat like she's expecting to find something there.

"Looking for something?" Steve asks from the driver's seat as he and Danny turn to look at her.

"Like an animal, perhaps?" Danny adds.

"Hm?" Grace says, pressing her lips together. "How was Valentine's day?"

Danny and Steve look at each other. A car honks behind them and Steve sticks his hand out the window to motion they overlap them. They stay parked on the curb.

"A funny thing happened," Danny said, scratching his chin with his thumb.

"Oh?" Grace cocked her head, making sure to not let her eyes go wide.

"We uh," Steve said, "We got each other pretty similar gifts."

"Oh!" Grace said.

"A kitten and a puppy, can you believe that?" 

Grace was grinning wide.

"So of course," Danny said, "we had to return them."

Grace's smile faltered as she looked at both men. "What?" 

"Well, I mean... one pet, sure, maybe we could manage that," Steve said, shrugging. "But two?" 

Danny nodded, "And we felt too bad to choose just one, so we felt to be fair we had to return both."

"Oh." Grace let out. 

Another car honked behind them before pulling around them. This time a little noise stirred from Danny's feet. 

Grace looked up quickly and Danny and Steve let a grin pass through them. 

"Of course we kept them." Steve said as Danny reached down and carefully pulled out a box padded with blankets. Inside slept the kitten and puppy.

"We figured you should name them. Since you're the reason we have them." 

Grace giggled as she took the box and set it on her lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! I hope you've liked it!!!!!


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